Former commissioner for information, culture and tourism and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa has urged political office holders in the country to always remember the needy and other vulnerable groups in their Constituencies as that is the only way the impact of governance can be felt at the grassroots.
This he Said is expedient and instructive as the economic hardship in the country is biting harder.
Vatsa stated that no political office holder can claim to be comfortable amidst uncomfortable people in his Constituency hence the need to always reach out to them.
The former commissioner who is now a Special Adviser to the state governor, Umar Bago on Public Private Partnership (PPP) was speaking when distributed cash, bags of rice and other empowerment materials to widows, elderly and youths in Gulu Vatsa Community in Lapai local government area of the state.
Other beneficiaries of the gesture included the local vigilantes and some security agents in the community who have contributed to the sustenance of peace and security of the community that have suffered a number of Bandits attacks in recent time.
Mr. Vatsa said the gesture was meant to reach out to these “special people” in the society in the spirit of the Christmas and the New Year celebrations.
The former publicity secretary of APC in the state pointed out that there is always joy in giving to the needy in the society in a festive period like the Christmas and the New Year celebrations
He added that “the whole essence is to make sure that we identified with them especially the widows, the elderly and other vulnerable groups in our mix”.
Vatsa stressed the need for political office holders in the country not to keep everything to themselves and their immediate families, adding that “there is no way that the impact of government can felt in our Communities if we don’t change our mindset.
“We must always remember to reach out to the less privileged ones and other poor vulnerable groups in the society, especially in a moment like this.
“We cannot pretend to be comfortable in the mist of uncomfortable people in our communities, there is danger in it”.
He commended the state governor for putting smiles on the faces of Christians in the state during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, adding that the administration has taken the welfare of the citizens with all seriousness it deserve since its inception.
The former commissioner disclosed that the governor, in his magnanimity directed all political appointees in the state to go back to their constituencies during the festivity to ensure that the impact of the government is felt in the lives of the people at the grassroots.
Vatsa assured the people that the present APC led administration in the state will deliver on its campaign promises to the people including the urban and rural transformation agenda.
He added that “right now we have seen a drastic reduction in the area of insecurity across the state. Throughout the festivity, there was no case of abduction or any attack on communities within the state by Bandits and other Insurgents”.
The village head of the community, Mallam Yunusa Adams commended the Special Adviser and the government for identifying with the people especially the widows and the elderly whom he described as the most affected by the current economic hardship.
He said the gesture will go along way in addressing the current hardship, adding that those who got empowerment materials will surely experience a new change of level.
